Subversion help? 2

[Hondy]

Hi

I downloaded Subversion for my Ubuntu distro so I can get a particular app. SVN installed ok, and the svn package also came down.

I just want to know, do I now need to install the app that downloaded or is my app now installed (i can't find it except some 'source' files)

Thanks

 

[DonQuichote]

You installed the command-line client and probably the server. If you want a graphical client, look for them in Ubintu's repository. RapidSVN is one of them, but there are others. If you use Xubuntu, you might take the effort of compiling the plugin for Thunar.

There is a good free online book getting you started with subversion. Just do a net search for it.

+++ Despite being wrong in every important aspect, that is a very good analogy +++
Hex (in Darwin's Watch)

 

[Hondy]

ok, so did i download the source or something? using the Synapse package manager it just installs it but i'm not sure what happened with SVN. I think its such a basic question that it doesn't seem to appear anywhere (too noob)

 

[chipperMDW]

Subversion is a version control system. Software developers use it to maintain source code in a central repository.

If you've grabbed a Subversion project, you've downloaded the source code for an application. You'll need to read the instructions on how to build and install that particular application. Check to see if the project has a section of their Web site for developers.

 

[Hondy]

yeh thats what i thought, funny thing is there are zero instructions on their website, just a brief explanation of what it is and a few other bits and bobs. If I knew where it went I could maybe find a readme file or something - stil getting to grips with the Linux way of doing stuff...

 

[DonQuichote]

Sigh.

http://svnbook.red-bean.com/

I would not entirely call that "zero instructions"...

+++ Despite being wrong in every important aspect, that is a very good analogy +++
Hex (in Darwin's Watch)

 

[chipperMDW]

I believe you have misunderstood the issue, DonQuichote. Hondy claims to have already used Subversion to grab the source code for some project. The problem is that there is apparently no documentation for building and/or installing said project.

Hondy, if you identify the project, perhaps someone could take a look at it.

 

[DonQuichote]

Sorry, my fault. Let me explain then:

The site you sownloaded the source from probably said that you would have to type something in a terminal window like:

svn checkout [URL unfurl="true"]http://some.location/[/URL] somedirectory

This will get you a working copy of the sourcecode and will put it in a directory "somedirectory" (the last parameter in the statement above).

Go to this directory and see if there is a README file. However, for beginners, it may contain language that you don't understand.

So how do you compile a program? One textbook called it the "configure"-"make"-"make install" dance, but for beginners it is more of a "configure"-"google"-"give up" struggle.

First, Ubuntu does NOT come with all necessary tools. So installing the build-essential package is probably a good start.

Here's how compiling SHOULD work:
- go to the directory you downloaded.
- Read the README file if it exists.
- type: ./configure
This will show a lot of output. Check if it ends with an OK message or aborts because it misses a package.
If it misses a package, install it (using synaptic for instance) and repeat the ./configure step.
If it misses a package that you see as installed in your package manager, install the same package, but with a name ending in "-dev". Such packages contain development info that may be needed.
The configure step will "adapt" the source code for your specific machine.
- type: make
This will compile the program.
- type: sudo make install
This will ask for your password, as sudo will cause the "make install" command to be run as root (the administrator user). This command will install the program.

If the above does not work, try the Ubuntu forums and the internet search engines.

Good luck!

+++ Despite being wrong in every important aspect, that is a very good analogy +++
Hex (in Darwin's Watch)

 

[Hondy]

ah ok - I wondered why the build-essentials thing was mentioned around the place. I'll give that a go, cheers Don

 

[Hondy]

hehe I just realised I missed a few posts...

Yeh its the provider of the application that has no build instructions rather than SVN itself.

 

[maczen]

Don,
That was a very good post! Thanks!

B Haines
CCNA R&S, ETA FOI